


The Child of Diagon Alley

by 24kitkat



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Diagon Alley, Hogwarts, Marauders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:42:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,282
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23330350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/24kitkat/pseuds/24kitkat
Summary: Remus is eternally grateful and forever confused by the fact that he managed to make friends for life (short or long) at Hogwarts. No matter how ridiculous they get, he adores them all, but his very first friend holds a special place in his heart...
Relationships: Hope Lupin/Lyall Lupin, Remus Lupin/Dorcas Meadowes
Kudos: 2
Collections: Marauders





	1. [ 1 ] Early birds

“What’s first on the list then, son?” Lyall put a hand on Remus’ shoulder as he peered down at the list in his hands.  
“Um, three sets of plain black work robes…” Remus read aloud.  
His father nodded. “Madam Malkin’s does that best,” he began to steer his family towards the shop when he felt his wife pull on his sleeve.  
“Are you sure, Ly? Can’t he have some of yours? I expect they’ll be expensive here,”  
“Don’t be ridiculous, Hope. The boy deserves his own set of robes. Her prices aren’t ridiculous; I’m sure it will be fine,”  
It was relatively quiet at Diagon Alley. The only sign of activity was shopkeepers getting everything ready for the hustle and bustle of wizards and witches that would occur in about a week. Most people were still on holiday or hadn’t really thought about school supplies yet. It would come later for them, but not for the Lupin family. They’d come early for two reasons: in hope of getting any offers there might be for early-birds and to avoid the madness of the entire population of Hogwarts buying all they need at once. They hadn’t actually been in any shops yet, but from the near silence of the crooked street, it seemed their plan was going smoothly.  
“Lyall!” Hope fretted, pulling her husband’s sleeve again. “Someone’s in there!”  
Lyall glanced at his son, who didn’t seem overly worried – a little tense, but more curious than anything as he peered through the window at the small girl stood on a stool as a short witch fussed around her. There was no one else in there.  
Lyall sighed. “It’s one little girl. Honestly Hope, you’re more worried than Remus is. Maybe he’ll make a friend. Come on, we’re going in,” he decided firmly as he led the way into the shop.  
Madam Malkin turned around and smiled at them as they walked in.  
“Mr Lupin! I haven’t seen you around here for a while. What brings you back to us? Ah!” Her smile widened as she spotted Remus behind him. “Bringing the next of the Lupins, are we? Good, good.”  
Lyall nodded and smiled in greeting, nudging Remus forward slightly. Hope hurriedly interjected.  
“If you’re busy, Miss,” she nodded to the girl stood on the stool with measuring tapes floating around her. “We can come back–”  
“No, not at all!” Madam Malkin smiled. “I can do two at once; it’s not a problem.”  
Remus hadn’t realised he was staring at the girl until he saw she was smiling at him. He managed to quickly smile back before focusing on his shoes. It was hard to tell with her on the stool, but he figured she was just over a head smaller than him. She had a lot of soft, curly brown hair that seemed to hover around her face like a halo.  
Madam Malkin ushered him over to another stool next to the girl for him to step onto. He prayed he wouldn’t fall and embarrass himself.  
“How much are your robes, if you don’t mind me asking?” Hope enquired.  
Before Madam Malkin could reply, Lyall’s head snapped up.  
“Merlin, I left my wallet in the bar! Come on, Hope. Remus, hang on there, we’ll be back as soon as we can.” He dragged Hope out of the shop before she or Remus could argue and the two of them hurried down the cobbled street. Madam Malkin chuckled quietly.  
She began taking Remus’ measurements, smiling kindly as she told him: “You’re tall for you age. I expect you’ll grow to be as tall as your father.” Remus gave her a small smile.  
“I’ll be back with some more material,” she said to the two children before bustling away to the back of the shop. Remus wondered why she didn’t just summon some, but he didn’t ask, of course.  
“Hello,” the girl said suddenly. She held out her hand past the floating tape measures and pieces of fabric. “I’m Dorcas. Dorcas Meadowes.” Remus noticed her perfect smile and white teeth as she beamed at him, before shaking her hand.  
“Remus. Remus Lupin,” he smiled back at her.  
“You’re early, probably for the best. It gets awfully busy here when everyone is around,” she nodded wisely. “Were they your parents?”  
Remus nodded. “They wanted to come early to avoid the rush. Are your parents here too?” He realised the girl had been alone in here since he arrived, apart from Madam Malkin.  
She shook her head. “I don’t know where they are. I’ve never met them,” she stated calmly. “They left me in the Leaky Cauldron, or we think so. No one actually saw anyone or myself until I started crying on one of the bar tables. I’ve been here ever since.”  
“Oh, I’m sorry,” Remus hoped he hadn’t upset her by asking. Goodness, he was awful at making friends. He’d spend his school life completely alone at this rate. To his relief, Dorcas simply shrugged.  
“It’s alright, I never knew them. I don’t feel like you can properly miss something if you’ve never even had it.” She seemed very mature for someone so young. She reminded Remus of himself. “Besides, I get all the inside knowledge and best offers of Diagon Alley. I stay at the Leaky Cauldron too, which is fun. Tom’s nice as well: everyone is here.”  
Remus nodded. He supposed the man at the bar that had let them through was Tom. He did seem very friendly.  
“Hey, how would you like to come for ice cream with me at Fortescue’s after we’ve got our robes? It wouldn’t spoil lunch or anything, it’s only ten o’clock,” she added upon noting the hesitant look on Remus’ face.  
He shuffled his feet awkwardly. “I, um, I’m not sure we have spare money for ice cream,”  
“Oh, that’s okay,” Dorcas brushed the matter off. “Florean’s very nice; we’re good friends. He always gives me free ice cream, I’m sure he’ll give you some too.”  
Remus perked up. “Okay then,” he grinned.  
By the time his parents had returned, Madam Malkin had finished both their robes. Hope helped Remus fold his as Dorcas went to pay for hers. She whispered subtly to the witch as she handed over her coins.  
“I don’t think they have much, could you give them a lower price and I’ll save up for the difference?”  
Madam Malkin beamed at her. This girl’s boundless kindness never ceased to fill her with admiration. She nodded and winked at the small girl who smiled and hurried back to Remus. Before Lyall had even opened his wallet, he and his wife heard the tinkle of the bell and two sets of feet running out of the shop.  
“Remus! Where is he going?” Hope looked flustered, even Lyall seemed nervous at his son’s sudden departure.  
“Don’t worry, I heard them planning to go for ice cream. It’s only a few shops down from here, they’re not far away,” Madam Malkin assured the fretting parents.  
Hope nodded, a little less panicked. “Who was that girl, anyway?”  
“She’s called Dorcas Meadowes, Miss,”  
“I know that name,” Lyall’s brow creased as he searched his mind for where he recognised her name.  
“You probably read about her in the papers, sir,” Madam Malkin said as she wrapped Remus’ robes in brown paper to protect them. “A while ago now, but it was all the talk: baby left at the Leaky Cauldron, big search for the parents or whoever had left her there. They never found them,”  
“Ah, of course,” Lyall nodded. “’The Child of Diagon Alley’ they called her,”  
“Oh, how terrible for her,” Hope frowned.  
Madam Malkin shrugged with a small smile. “It’s alright, really. She seems quite happy here, and we all take care of her, especially Tom,”  
“I’m sure you do,” Lyall smiled. “Thank you again, Madam Malkin, are you sure about the price? It seems quite low…” he trailed off as Hope elbowed him lightly.  
“No, you caught my early-bird sale,” Madam Malkin smiled.  
She waved as they left the shop, resolving to not remind Dorcas to pay the extra.  
“Hello, Florean, how are you?”  
The ice cream seller looked down over his till at the two small children smiling up at him.  
“Hello there, Dorcas my dear, I’m very well, thank you. School shopping, are we? Who’s this?” he nodded at Remus who was stood close beside her.  
She nodded. “We’ve stopped for a refuel of ice cream. This is my friend, Remus,” Remus felt his stomach warm at this comment. “I told him we should come here, as you have the best ice cream there is,”  
“I certainly do,” Fortescue grinned proudly. “Well then, any friend of yours, Dorky, is a friend of mine. I’ll give whatever you two’d like for free!”  
Remus’ smile widened and Dorcas nudged him as she whispered: “Told you,” with a smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part one of my series with Remus Lupin and Dorcas Meadowes. There will be many following and I will probably write more to come between already published chapters, so check for updates!


	2. Spark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hope is incredibly nervous the day before Remus leaves for Hogwarts.

Lyall jumped as the sharp sound of ceramic hitting the wooden floor echoed through the kitchen for at least the sixth time that day. He turned to his anxious wife and held her hands.  
“Hope, settle down. We’ll have nothing to eat off at this rate,”  
She nodded and laughed humourlessly.  
“I know, I know, I’m sorry,” she sighed. “I’m just terribly worried. It’s tomorrow, Lyall!” she hastily lowered her voice. “He’s off to that schools, miles and miles away. What if he needs us? What if he gets into trouble? What if he hates it there?”  
Lyall smiled gently.  
“My dear, I think you underestimate our son. He’s far braver than you seem to realise. He’s a very intelligent boy and I know he’ll be able to stand up for himself if he really needs too. Besides, he won’t be alone – he has that Dorcas girl he made friends with on Diagon Alley. He told me they’d been writing to each other; she’s going to meet us at the station tomorrow morning. He’ll have her there with him the whole journey.”  
Hope nodded again, slightly more reassured. “That girl,” she pondered. “She seems very nice, but… she’s very, well, lively, isn’t she? I’m worried she might tire Remus out a bit,”  
“Nonsense,” Lyall rolled his eyes. “Perhaps she’ll spark a bit of light into the boy!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part two of my series with Remus Lupin and Dorcas Meadowes. There will be many following and I will probably write more to come between already published chapters, so check for updates! Sorry it's so short, but we never got any Lyall and Hope in the books, so this is to make up for it.


	3. King's Cross

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus and Dorcas reunite at King's Cross for their first day of Hogwarts.

Remus shrunk further into his coat as his mother fussed with his hair and his jumper for what felt like the hundredth time since they’d left. Lyall kept nudging her, and she backed off, but she was soon back again. All three of them turned as they heard a voice calling being them.  
“Remus!”  
They saw the small girl sprinting through the crowds towards them, a wide smile on her face as her hair bounced on her slim shoulders. Hurrying after her was almost the entire population of Diagon Alley’s residents, and those that weren’t there had stuffed various gifts of good luck and apology from their shops into Dorcas’ suitcase. Hope was afraid the girl would leap at Remus, tackling him into a hug. She’d knock him straight to the floor at that speed. To her relief, Dorcas screeched to a halt in front of her friend, still beaming at him.  
“Glad I saw you,” she said, breathlessly. “This place is awfully busy, I thought I’d never find you!”  
“I’m glad too.” Remus grinned down at her.  
Once Dorcas’ rabble had caught up, the unusual group set off towards the platform. Lyall elbowed Hope gently and nodded at Remus and Dorcas, who were leading the way, side by side, nattering ceaselessly.  
“Told you,” he whispered with a wink. Hope rolled her eyes but smiled truly for the first time in a while.  
After chatting with Tom, Madam Malkin and the others for a while, Lyall joined Remus and Dorcas’ conversation. He’d taken a liking to the sprightly girl that day in Diagon Alley; she was very mature for her age and he was surprised she knew so much about typical grown-up topics, like what was going on at the Ministry. She had asked him many questions as Remus and herself ate their ice creams, since Lyall worked at the Ministry. They’d initiated what he felt was a very engaging conversation, and he was eager to continue it before she left. So, while Lyall and Dorcas were discussing wizarding politics, Hope snatched the opportunity to have a last-minute fuss and talk with her son.  
“We went over your list at least four times, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting anything,” she rambled. “But if it turns out you have, your father and I will do our best to mail it to you as soon as we can,”  
“Mum.”  
“Try to send us a letter twice a week, but if you’re busy, do let us know in advance, so we don’t worry,”  
“Mum.”  
“Don’t fret about which house you get into. It makes no difference to me – I don’t understand it all anyway…”  
“Mum!”  
She stopped abruptly and turned to look at Remus. He shook his head and smiled at her, slightly amused.  
“I’ll be fine,” he said. “I promise. You’ve done more than enough, thank you,”  
Hope beamed and kissed his head.  
“I won’t be alone either,” he reassured her, nodding at the small girl talking to his father. He knew this was what she was most worried about. Remus hadn’t gone to school and had spent most of his time at home, for fear of the other children in the neighbourhood asking too many questions about his scars or his father or why strange noises came from their house once every month. Looking back now, Hope was scared that it meant Remus would struggle making friends at Hogwarts, and without his parents for company, he would be alone. Despite her slightly boisterous nature, she had been overly grateful for Dorcas’ arrival into the situation.  
Hope smiled at Dorcas, mentally reminding herself to thank the girl however she could.  
“I know, you’ve found a good friend. I’m so proud of you.” Remus’ smile stretched from ear to ear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part three of my series with Remus Lupin and Dorcas Meadowes. There will be many following and I will probably write more to come between already published chapters, so check for updates!


	4. That makes three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Remus and Dorcas make a new friend sooner than they expect as they search for somewhere to sit on the Hogwarts Express.

“There’s only a few people in here,” Dorcas mused, as she glanced through the window of a carriage containing three boys with dark hair and one girl with red hair, all seemingly their age. “We could sit in this–”  
She stopped as she saw Remus had already moved on to another carriage further along. She passed the other carriage without a second thought to catch up to her friend and stopped in front of the window he was peering through. There was a small, timid-looking boy with sand-coloured hair sat in the corner closest to the window. He looked as though he was trying to make himself as small as possible, but that could have just been his actual size, or maybe it was because of the two taller boys in the carriage who were towering over him. It was difficult to hear what they were saying to him, but by the look on his face, Remus and Dorcas both knew it couldn’t be anything nice. Without any further notice, Dorcas grabbed the handle and pulled the doors back quickly, causing quite a loud bang as they fully opened. The two taller students spun around. Dorcas couldn’t decide whether they were first years too, as they looked fairly young, but their height wavered her opinion, although, she concluded, Remus was almost as tall as they were.  
“What do we have here?” the larger boy grinned.  
“What’s going on?” Dorcas demanded, a cross look on her face.  
The other boy smirked. “Just making friends with another of our fellow first years, what do you think?”  
“I think you should **** off,” Remus interrupted, bluntly. Dorcas did her best to maintain her stern look, but inside she was beaming. The two boys were clearly taken aback by his statement, so Dorcas took the opportunity to throw in one of her own.  
“That didn’t look very friendly,” she pointed out.  
The boys sniggered. “Well maybe we weren’t trying to be.”  
“Well maybe I won’t be.”  
In one swift moment, she pulled her wand out her pocket and yelled a jinx as she directed it at the last boy who had spoken. As if this was his queue, Remus pulled out his own wand and jinxed the other boy.  
Both bullies fumbled around, as if searching for their own wands, though they knew no spells of their own to retaliate with. One opened his mouth to hurl an insult, but all that escaped were three fat, brown slugs, which plopped loudly onto his shoes. The other yelled in disgust, and at the same time he coughed up a couple of snails. They stared at each other in horror for a moment, before gurgling despairingly and hurriedly shuffling out of the carriage, doing their best not to bump into Remus or Dorcas in the doorway.  
Dorcas watched them go then turned to smile at Remus.  
“That played out nicely. We’d make a good duelling duo,” she winked, and Remus felt his ears go pink.  
They stepped inside the carriage, closing the door behind them.  
“It’s a shame, really. We’ve barely even left the station and we’ve already found the bullies of the year. Are you alright?” she turned suddenly to the small boy in the corner. Remus had almost forgotten he was there.  
His eyes were still wide with fear, as though he thought the two of them would jinx him next, but he seemed to relax at Dorcas’ comment as she and Remus settled on the seat opposite him. He shuffled into a more dignified position and nodded.  
“Yes, thank you.”  
Remus smiled, but before he could say anything, the boy had blurted out.  
“How can you do that already? Are you second years?”  
Dorcas and Remus looked at each other, then chuckled.  
“Er, no,” Remus smiled sheepishly. “I suppose we just got ahead.”  
He knew Dorcas had spent most her life reading spellbooks in Flourish and Blotts to pass the time on Diagon Alley, so she was practically an expert by the time she was allowed her wand. He didn’t want to tell them that the reason he had already learnt some spells was because he felt as though he had to earn his place at Hogwarts. He didn’t really think he deserved to be there, so to make up for Dumbledore’s kindness he had tried his best to make it easier for them by learning some spells ahead of time, so as to not hold up the rest of the class and trouble the teacher if he were to struggle.  
The boy nodded slowly. “I suppose I’ll definitely be the worst in the year then. I don’t know anything…”  
“No, no, don’t worry,” Dorcas quickly tried to reassure him. “I’m sure no one else knows many spells yet. You’ll be just like everyone else.”  
He nodded again. “I hope so. I’m Peter, by the way,” he suddenly perked up and smiled brightly at the two sat across from him.  
Dorcas smiled back and held out her hand. “My name’s Dorcas,” she said as he shook her hand with slightly pudgy one with great enthusiasm.  
Her friend leaned forward and did the same. “Remus,” he nodded at Peter with a small smile.  
Peter sat back looking quite triumphant. He’d been terribly worried that he’d struggle to make friends or that no one would like him, likely both, he had thought. He had prepared himself for a lonely dinner and an awkward night of silence in the dormitory, but now he had found two new friends, who’d willingly come to his aid as soon as they’d seen he needed help. Maybe he’d be alright after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part four of my series with Remus Lupin and Dorcas Meadowes. There will be many following and I will probably write more to come between already published chapters, so check for updates! Also, I don't swear, and therefore I don't explicitly in my writing either, but it is a significant trait of many characters, so I will use asterisks in place of an actual swear word (I know this is kind of annoying, but it's my preference, so here we are).


End file.
